Rapid Access, a leading provider of powered access equipment for rental and sales in the Middle East, is rapidly expanding its network in the region with the opening of a new depot in Abu Dhabi and another in Oman this month.

According to David Cagigas, managing director of Rapid Access: “The increased demand for the company’s equipment has seen it open branches all over the GCC. Having started with just one depot and 40 machines in 1996, the company, has in the span of a decade, established six depots with 550 machines in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.
He adds: “At Rapid Access, the expansion has been a continuous process. In the first half of this year alone the company’s fleet has been boosted with the addition of 150 machines and another 300 machines will be added before March 2007. This will give us the flexibility to use over 900 machines for rental or sales.”
“We have initiated a substantial investment in our fleet expansion not only because of the support we have from our clients – who reaffirm the increased safety and efficiency of powered access – but also because of the trend in the market to complete quality projects safely and on time,” he adds.
“With the extension of its coverage throughout the GCC, Rapid Access has been able to maintain a high level of unit availability and respond rapidly and efficiently with both equipment and technical support,” says Cagigas. Armed with a fleet of 550 machines spread throughout the GCC, the company has become a front-runner in the access rental market.
“The company has also recently added a new range of telehandlers that allows lifting loads of 2,500 kg up to a maximum of 17 m, and is the perfect complement for powered access in all kind of works,” he says.

Hydraulic lift
“With automated hydraulic access systems – rather than conventional access methods, such as scaffolding – gaining momentum, our machines have been increasingly in demand. This is also since our equipment is popular for hard-to-reach areas,” says Cagigas.
Another benefit offered by the hydraulic access is the enhanced safety as workers are secured to the equipment by a safety harness – workers using other access methods, such as scaffolding or ladders, faces an increased risk of falling from heights.
“At Rapid Access, our focus has been to minimise such risk. All our equipment undergo a strict inspection programme and where any machine fails the inspection it is removed from the hire register until it has been repaired and passes a repeat inspection. Each machine also undergoes a thorough examination by an independent external assessment company at least once every year.”
Rapid Access is a part of the Lavendon Group that has 13,000 machines operating in Europe and is the largest powered access specialist in the world, with depots in UK, Germany, France and Spain. The group’s turnover for 2005 topped the $180 million mark.
“We provide machines to major international companies involved in all kinds of projects in the region,” says Cagigas. Some of the major projects where Rapid Access has supplied its machines include Ras Laffan, the Asian Games, Dubai Airport, the Aramco Riyadh refinery, Yanpet, Alba, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Batuta Mall, Qatif Gas Plant, and Formula One TV broadcasting.
“We have the widest range of equipment available in the market from personal man lifts, electric and diesel scissors to electric and diesel booms (telescopic or articulated) and truck mounted platforms. This range allows us to give to our customers a working height of 6 to 72 m and we are the only company in the Middle East to have a 72 m working height truck mount.
“The Middle East market equipment specifications are very different from the rest of the world, especially given the level of dust, humidity and heat. And nobody knows this better than Rapid Access. Our fundamental understanding of the local market and its needs has allowed us to be in a position to place the best range of machines that can meet the customer requirements,” says Cagigas.
“As we see it, the only way we can go is up,” he concludes.